Hydrogen to Decarbonise the World?

While not particularly related to Hydrogen, for those who think technology development is not increasing exponentially, consider this from Brownstone Research. “A quantum computer has solved in 3 seconds, a problem that the world’s most powerful ‘Super Computer’ would take 10,000 years”!

Now to our blog subject.

Why Hydrogen?

Increasing pressure from climate change is accelerating the search to replace carbonised energy from oil, coal and natural gas. Also WHO says premature deaths from air pollution are around 7 million per year (more than from vehicle accidents). Hydrogen appears the most promising alternative and has storage capability for instant use. It is clean as the only exhaust product is water. 

Producing, storing and transporting hydrogen is costly and risky, but the rewards are big if these problems are solved. Using electricity to generate hydrogen and then hydrogen to generate electricity (fuel cells) seems very inefficient. Elon Musk says it is ‘mind bogglingly stupid’ (he would, as it is competition to his BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicles)! However there are good reasons for doing it. Read on.

Research, through large venture capital is ongoing to make hydrogen safe, produced at low cost and manufactured cleanly. Considerable progress has already been made, as described below. It is amazing what capital, volume manufacture, combined with new technologies can achieve.

Hydrogen’s Advantages

• Hydrogen can be made with surplus renewables when the grid cannot absorb them
• It can power electric vehicles, particularly long distance road, sea and air transport. Much the way petrol and diesel are used now. Quick refueling, long range
• Replace fossil fuel (coal, oil and particularly natural gas, oil) in domestic and commercial heating systems. Also in energy intensive methods to make chemicals, iron, steel. aluminium, etc.

At room temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a nontoxic gas. It has no taste, colour or smell. If cooled to extremely low temperatures (-253°C) it becomes a liquid. Hydrogen ignites easily in air, burning at over 2000°C with a very pale blue, near colourless flame.

Making Hydrogen

Hydrogen is made by several methods, but the cleanest is electrolysis of water, using solar or other renewable energy. Called green hydrogen, many markets such as the UK, EU, Japan and Korea will probably accept only green. They may impose tariffs on non clean types, all referred to by colour as below.

Transporting it

Where will It be Used?

An active use is for electric vehicles, particularly trucks or buses. The range and time to refuel is similar to present petrol or diesel methods, which appeals. Some companies such as Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Mazda are investing heavily into fuel cell cars. The alternative is Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) which is more advanced than hydrogen. The key for BEVs is battery size reduction, increased range, faster charging and lower cost. Progress so far has been slow, but a break though is likely in the next few years.

A new development is ABB’s use of hydrogen fuel cells to charge BEVs quickly. Also some interesting work using Super Capacitors. These are quick charging, with high power, using graphene, a new 2 dimensional material (needs a separate blog!)

How Fuel Cells Work:

Hydrogen is stored at petrol or gas stations and is delivered into vehicles. Inside the vehicle is a fuel cell to covert hydrogen into electricity. As shown, hydrogen and air (oxygen) go into the cell, generating electricity which drives the vehicle’s electric motor (load). A small amount of water (pure enough to drink) goes out the exhaust pipe.

Other Projects

Heating

Countries such as the UK use large amount of natural gas for heating. Hydrogen will work with some equipment modification to existing gas reticulation and end point systems. Hydrogen is lighter than air, so distribution systems need to be leak proof. Also, as the gas is colourless, some additive colour or odour is needed.

Aviation

Here is what an Airbus Vice President says about aviation. For further information see : Airbus

“Hydrogen is the clean energy carrier that is making the transport industry, from automotive and rail to shipping, sit up and take notice: For Airbus, VP of Zero-Emission Aircraft Glenn Llewellyn, hydrogen is more than just an industry buzzword: it is potentially the future of aviation.”

Wikipedia says:

“A hydrogen aircraft is an aeroplane that uses hydrogen fuel as a power source. Hydrogen can either be burned in a jet engine, or other kind of internal combustion engine, or can be used to power a fuel cell to generate electricity to power a propeller.” Most smaller aircraft use the internal combustion (pistons) engine and propellers

There’s still the public misconception that hydrogen isn’t safe” This is probably due to the Hindenburg disaster in the 1930s. Safety and technology has changed enormously since then.

The start up company ZeroAvia is developing a six seater hydrogen fueled plane with a potential range of 500 miles. 

References

Energy Institute

Airbus

Wikipedia

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